Dynamic Digest: Top 5 Takeaways from WWDC 2016

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Dynamic Digest: Top 5 Takeaways from WWDC 2016

Welcome to the Dynamic Digest, a weekly recap of the latest news happening in our industry. Want the pulse of what’s going on in enterprise software and analytics, performance management, cloud computing, and other topics? We got you covered! This week in the world of technology, we cover the...

Welcome to the Dynamic Digest, a weekly recap of the latest news happening in our industry. Want the pulse of what’s going on in enterprise software and analytics, performance management, cloud computing, and other topics? We got you covered!

This week in the world of technology, we cover the top 5 announcements made at Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) this week. Over the 5-day event, Apple revealed major software updates, new apps, and other important news coming this Fall to its developer market.

The New iOS 10

Apple really stepped it up this year with the announcement of the latest version of its operating system for iPhones, iPads, and iPods – iOS 10. The new iOS includes major design and feature upgrades. With improved 3D Touch capabilities, Apple redesigned its notifications, lock screen and Control Center to allow users to access apps faster and be able to do more with fewer taps. Apple also introduced a brand new Raise to Wake feature, which allows users to activate the lock screen to view notifications and updates by simply lifting their phones. Apple’s most sexy upgrade to iOS might be its new iMessage app, which now features animation effects, emoji predictions, single tap text-to-emoji conversions, handwritten messages, the ability to play videos, and much more. The Photos app got some revamping as well, with added facial, object, and scene recognition features. Apple also announced a new Apple Home app and updates to Map, Phone, Apple Music, and Apple News apps.

Key takeaway: The new iOS 10 is focused on simplifying the life of mobile users by allowing users to perform functions quicker with fewer screen taps. Some of these new features are catch-ups to features that Android devices already have. But nonetheless, the new iOS will give iPhone users a new and improved mobile experience.

From OS X to macOS Sierra

With so many exciting upgrades in iOS 10, Apple made sure that it did not disappoint either in its desktop counterpart. A major announcement for Macs was that its operating system, OS X, has been renamed to macOS, with a new version named Sierra. Amongst the many new features debuting in Sierra, one of the biggest highlights was that Siri is finally coming to macOS. Upon command, the virtual assistant familiar to iPhone users will be able to help Mac users send text messages, open certain files, play music, create calendar events, adjust System Preferences, and more. A new shared desktop feature will enable Apple users to view files on their Mac’s desktop using an iPhone or iPad. A universal clipboard feature will also make it possible for the copying and pasting of images, texts, and videos between different Apple devices. Apple Pay, Apple’s mobile payment service, will also be launching its web version in Sierra. Online retailers will be able to offer Apple Pay as a payment option via Safari in iOS 10 and macOS Sierra. Users who select this payment option will be able to verify the transaction using Touch ID on their iPhones.

Key takeaway: With new features such as shared desktop and universal clipboard, Apple devices are becoming more connected to each other. This benefits users by streamlining their experience across different Apple products and allowing them to seamlessly shift between devices. Apple Pay for the web will also bring about a secure payment solution for making online purchases.

A Faster Smart Watch

The Apple Watch is getting a makeover, without actually upgrading its hardware. At WWDC 2016, Apple unveiled its latest operating system for its smartwatch, watchOS 3. Upgraded and new features in watchOS 3 will give Apple Watch owners a new and different smartwatch experience. One of the biggest complaints users had with watchOS 2 was that apps could take up to several seconds to load, which could be considered a long while when compared to the app loading times on other Apple devices. Apple’s own president of technology Kevin Lynch demonstrated at the conference that with watchOS 3, apps will load instantly. In watchOS 3, instead of responding to text messages from a selection of pre-set messages, the new Scribble feature will allow users to draw letters on the face of the watch which will then convert to text. Similar to iPhones, watchOS will now have an SOS feature that calls local emergency services when the side button is pushed for an extended period of time. On the fitness front, the new watchOS 3 will have an activity sharing function for sharing fitness activities between Apple Watch users. There will also be exercise suggestions for wheelchair users as well as a new deep breathing exercise app called Breathe.

Key takeaway: The new watchOS will give the Apple Watch a big boost in app loading times and features. Unlike iPhones and Macs, where users experience a boost in speed when they upgrade their devices, the watchOS 3 can fulfill users’ desire for speed without requiring them to invest in a brand new product.

Siri Now Open to Developers

With Siri coming to Macs, Apple is making its virtual assistant an integral part of all its devices. To further push the limits on what Siri can do, Apple announced that it will open up Siri to third-party developers. Developers will be able to access Siri using an open API and configure Siri’s voice commands to perform functions in third-party apps such as calling an Uber, sending a WeChat message, or activating fitness tracking on fitness apps. This is the first time since the launch of Siri in 2011 that Apple is allowing integrations between Siri and third-party apps.

Key takeaway: This is huge for the world of mobile apps as Apple has always been strict over app integrations with Siri. Opening Siri up to developers will allow Apple to catch up with Amazon’sAlexa, a major competitor in the voice assistant space, who has been open to developers over a year ago.

Apple Music Redesign

Apple revealed at WWDC that its music streaming service, Apple Music, has undergone a complete UI redesign in an effort to create a more user-friendly streaming platform. In addition to simplifying the organization of its menu and tabs, Apple added new features as well. A new lyric feature will display the lyrics to the song that is playing. Apple has also added a new “For You” section, where users can find daily playlist recommendations, as well as a Discover Mix, a personalized playlist put together based on the user’s selection of music in his or her own library.

Key takeaway: Apple took user feedback to the heart when they redesigned the Apple Music UI. With simpler navigation and its new Discover Mix feature, Apple Music readies itself to take on popular streaming services such as Spotify.

We hope you enjoyed this week’s Dynamic Digest weekly roundup! Have a suggestion or preferred topic you would like to see next week? Tweet at us or leave a comment below!